TT News

Start of Practice for TT 200627 May 2006

Practising for the 2006 Isle of Man TT began, on schedule,
in sunny but blustery conditions on Saturday night with Guy Martin setting a
scorching pace as the first rider to complete a lap. He was timed at 118.023
miles an hour on his Superbike Yamaha with Ian Lougher, the second man
to finish a lap, not far behind at 116.419.

Martin’s speed stood as the fastest of the night for much of the session until
Ian Hutchinson went
slightly quicker on his Kawasaki at 118.261 miles an hour which he then
increased to 120.160 on his Junior Supersport Kawasaki. However, last year’s
Superbike winner John
McGuinness served notice that he would be the man they all had to beat when
he lapped at 122.013 on his Honda Fireblade.

The organisers continued their policy of starting the first practice session
with a lap for newcomers, escorted by travelling marshals. Consequently, the
honour of getting the 2006 TT meeting underway fell to
Hungarian Sandor Bitter from Budapest on his Suzuki Superbike – resplendent in
his blue leathers containing the TT logo.

When it was the turn of the more experienced riders first out were Manx riders
Gary Carswell and Chris Heath. One Isle of
Man rider making his debut was Conor Cummins who recorded a 100 miles an hour
lap on his first trip round the TT Course –
104.966 to be precise. He was to go even faster later in the practice at
108.751 which made him, comfortably, the fastest newcomer of the night – and all
this on Conor’s 20th birthday!

Dave Molyneux and Craig Hallam led the way in the sidecars at 112.934, just
marginally outside a sub 20 minutes lap.

The American sidecar crew of Doug Dano and James Cornell crashed at May Hill, Ramsey. Dano was said to be ‘stable’ while Cornell’s
condition was described as serious. Jeff Jones from Maesteg came
off his Superbike machine on the exit from Governor’s Bridge and was taken to
hospital by ambulance. His condition was described as stable.